Traditional Pergolas

What is a Traditional Pergola?

Dating all the way back to the early 1400s, pergolas first appeared in Egypt and were made of stone. Like today, they were primarily used in lawn and garden areas to create a serene, shaded area for people to sit and enjoy the outdoors. While building materials are certainly more diverse today than they were seven centuries ago, many people still prefer the style of a traditional pergola over the new, more modern pergolas.

More ornate than their contemporary counterparts, traditional pergolas feature beams and rafters that overhang the edges, usually with carved or scrolled ends. The columns that support the rafters and beams can be either round or squared and usually have some sort of decorative feature at the top and bottom, as well.

Traditional pergolas allow you to create a more exotic look to your featured shaded area. They blend well with Greek Revival, Mediterranean, Victorian and Craftsmen architectural style houses and buildings. They also offer a perfect contrast to more modern styles when you really want your pergola covered oasis to stand out.

What's more, whether you purchase a freestanding pergola kit or an attached pergola, traditional pergolas tend to be less expensive than modern pergolas. That's not because they look worse or are more cheaply made. They've just been around much longer and are more widely available than modern pergolas. It's a classic case of supply and demand.

Why Buy a DIY Pergola Kit from Us?

Today, the majority of traditional pergolas tend to be made out of wood. Because of that, traditional wooden pergolas tend to be the least expensive to buy. Unfortunately, less expensive doesn't always mean "cheaper in the long run". Far more maintenance is involved with a wood pergola. They are harder to clean, have to be repainted often (if you don't opt for a natural wood pergola) and they will not last forever. The best of woods are prone to rot, constant exposure to rain causes wood to sag or warp over time and despite misleading claims made by many manufacturers about their wood being "termite resistant", no wood is termite proof. Termites will eat any wood - they just like the taste of some wood better than others!

Every DIY pergola kit sold here at Sunset Pergola Kits is made with an aluminum frame with a vinyl coating making it stronger and easier to clean than a wooden pergola. A vinyl pergola reinforced with aluminum won't rust, rot or sag and they never need to be painted. Just a little soap and water is all you need to keep a Sunset Pergola looking as good as new for as long as you own your home. Termites don't eat metal or vinyl so that'll never be a concern, either. Best of all, if you add high-wind brackets, we'll give you a Lifetime Wind Protection Warranty for your pergola kit!

Our DIY pergola kits might be slightly more expensive than the cheap wooden ones, but you'll thank us later when you see the hassles that your neighbors who bought wooden ones have to endure. Be sure to mention us when they finally give up and want one just like yours!